# IDEs and Productivity

DevFeed: [IDEs and Productivity](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/ides-and-productivity-24947.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://codeahoy.com/2016/06/10/ides-and-developer-productivity/>)

Author: umer

Published: 2016-06-10T00:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Code Ahoy - Articles](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/code-ahoy-articles.md>)

Topics: [ide](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ide.md>), [code productivity](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/code-productivity.md>), [Vim](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/vim.md>), [Emacs](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/emacs.md>), [Refactoring](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/refactoring.md>), [code-completion](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/code-completion.md>), [Maven](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/maven.md>)

Tags: [code-completion](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/code-completion.md>), [developer-productivity](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer-productivity.md>), [emacs](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/emacs.md>), [ide](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ide.md>), [productivity](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/productivity.md>), [refactoring](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/refactoring.md>), [vim](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/vim.md>)

## AI overview

This opinion article argues that learning an IDE's features can improve developer productivity, particularly in complex enterprise applications. It describes benefits including debugging, dependency-graph analysis, refactoring, code completion, and boilerplate generation, while acknowledging that experienced Vim or Emacs users may already be productive with their chosen editor.

## Source excerpt

I used to be neutral on the choice and even the use of an IDE for writing code. In university, I learned and used Vim for assignments. When I started my first job, I switched to a popular Java IDE because everyone at work was using it and it featured a nice debugger. Other than debugging and basic auto-completion, I didn't learn the IDE much in terms of its features. But that changed one day when I ran into an issue compiling a Java project. I went over to the developer's desk who had made the most recent commit. He opened up the project in his IDE and in just a few keystrokes, he had the entire maven dependency graph displayed on his screen. Just like magic. Few more keystrokes and he was able to locate the root cause. I was surprised because after months of using the IDE, I had no idea it had that feature. Two things happened: I realized that up until that point, I was using the IDE like a text editor and missing out on many of its powerful features. I became convinced that knowing how to effectively use an IDE has a profound impact on developer productivity. This is especially true for complex enterprise applications, where superior knowledge of IDE can provide a significant boost in productivity. I started out with Vim and loved it. When I first tried Eclipse/NetBeans for Java development, I was overwhelmed by the number things that were cluttered on the screen. The second thing that put me off was that I had to use the mouse a lot for navigation. But I saw the value in refactoring, code-completion and generating boiler-plate code so I decided to bite the bullet and switched to it from Vim. In retrospect, it was a good decision. Many developers who become proficient in text editors like Vim or Emacs don't switch to an IDE. I worked with a developer who wrote code exclusively in Emacs. When I hired him, he told that he'll use nothing but Emacs. I was sure that in time I'll be able to 'show him the light' and that he'll see the value in using an IDE. But after wat